Deschutes Brewery Announces 2020 Craft Beer Lineup

With 2019 drawing to a close, American craft breweries are positioning themselves in an increasingly competitive environment, with new additions to their portfolios.

In the coming year, Deschutes Brewery will be upgrading its roster with new additions to its year-round lineup as well as to its scheduled limited releases. It’s a bold play on the part of the Bend, Oregon-based brewer that speaks to its need to stay nimble in a US marketplace with more than 8000 breweries now online…

Deschutes 2020 Year-Round Offerings

WOWZA! – A brand-new Hazy Pale Ale that’s 4% ABV, only 100 calories and 4g of carbs that uses Chicory Root to balance the body of the beer without affecting the calorie count.

Biggie Fresh – Joining the big, juicy, citrus-forward Fresh Family in September, Biggie Fresh is a 9% ABV Imperial IPA driven by fruity, tropical hop notes with low bitterness and a clean, dry finish.

Teensy – Also available starting in September, Teensy is a petite (2% ABV) Hazy IPA with a strong, hop and fruit forward flavor yet light body. This may be the first true “small beer” ever produced by a craft beer major. And the fact that the brewery will be offering it year-round is very interesting.

Deschutes Seasonal Releases

Red Chair NWPA – A citrus forward 6.2% ABNV Northwest Pale Ale with a bold hop aroma and clean finish. Red Chair was awarded World’s Best Beer, twice. (January-February)

Luna Jo Cold Brew Coffee Lager – Celebrating friendships and next level experimentation in coffee and beer, Deschutes partnered with local Bend, cold brewed coffee company, Riff, resulting in an light bodied dark 5% ABV  Mexican-style Lager with vibrant coffee aromas and flavors. (March-April)

Neon Daydream Hazy Ale – A hazy 4.8% ABV Summer Ale that melds wheat, white, and hazy pale styles with aromas of orange, lemon, and fruity esters and a zesty, citrus hop.  (May-July)

Slightly Exaggerated IPA – A 6% ABV collaboration with Travel Oregon that captures the magic of Oregon in a bottle with a slightly exaggerated tropical hop profile from the extraordinary Sabro hops. (August-October)

Chasin’ Freshies Fresh Hop IPA – A bright, clean and crisp 6.0% ABV IPA which showcases a new hop every year and goes from vine to kettle in a day! (September based on timing of hop harvest)

Jubelale – A festive 6.7% ABV Winter Ale full of spice notes and a robust malt character of toffee and dusted cocoa. (November-December)

Deschutes Brewery Reserve Series

Planete Plum – Joining the journey across barrel ecosystems with Planete Bruin and Planete Rouge, Planate Plum is a complex 10.5% ABV American Sour Red Ale brewed with Oregon plums. Partially aged in brandy barrels, Planete Plum has notes of cherries and dried fruits that combine with farmhouse aromas balanced by the plums. (January release in 500ml bottles)

Fresh Squeezed Old Fashioned – Inspired by Deschtes’ citrusy Fresh Squeezed IPA, this 10% ABV hop-forward ale gets an Old Fashioned twist with sweet orange peel and bourbon barrel aging. (February release in 12-ounce bottles 4-packs)

The Ages – A Gueze-inspired 8% ABV Wild Ale blend brimming with fruity, spicy esters and savory, tangy pear and white pepper flavors. (April Release in 500ml bottles)

Black Butte XXXII – Deschutes Brewery’s annual Anniversary Reserve release, a 12% ABV Imperial Porter aged in bourbon barrels packaged in lovingly hand-dipped bottles by the brewery’s own co-owners. (June Release in 22-ounce bottles)

The Dissident Boysenberry – An 11% ABV Flanders-Style Brown Ale barrel-aged with 100% Oregon berries. (August Release in 22-ounce bottles)

The Abyss – A deep, dark, 11% ABV Imperial Stout with hints of molasses, licorice, cherry bark and vanilla that is 50% aged in bourbon, wine and new American oak barrels. (November Release)

Deschutes Small Batch Reserve Series

These limited releases available only at Deschutes Brewery Pubs and Tasting Rooms in 500 ml bottles.

Tumalo Kriek – Crafted in honor of the Deschutes River’s tributary and the brewery’s water source, Tumalo Creek, this Northwest version of a Belgian-style Kriek is a 6% ABV mixed culture Sour Ale aged with Oregon cherries.

Home at Port – A complex and warming 12% ABV Belgian Dark Strong Ale aged in bourbon and port barrels.  (January Release)

Whiskey Butte – A very approachable 7% ABV barrel-aged blend of Black Butte Porter with Deschutes’ whiskey aged Imperial Porter. (January Release- draft only)

Deschutes Expressive Sour Series

The Deschutes Sour Series is a new, innovative and creative line of stainless, lacto soured beers that vary in the use of fruit, hops, spices and specialty ingredients that all maintain a harmonious and clean mild to medium acidity. This series satisfies an emerging interest in kettle sours, and a movement toward fruit-flavored beers delivering a culinary-inspired and truly unique offering.

Almond Oat is the first in the series, a 4% ABV Sour Ale with a Biscotti-like almond and cookie malt character that finishes intriguingly tart with a balanced sweetness. (April)